Authorities say the woman's 81-year-old husband suffered a medical condition while he was at the controls of the plane and lost consciousness.

His wife, who had no flying experience, called on the radio for help. The Door County Cherryland Airport in northeast Wisconsin sent a second plane up to help coach the woman down.

"She's not a licensed pilot and has very little on flying an aircraft," said Door County Sheriff Terry Vogel.

The plane then began to run out of fuel and the right engine lost power. With the help of the second pilot, the woman was able to successfully land the plane.

"We got him up into an aircraft and he felt it was easier for him to give her instructions, for him to determine for instance, her speed in the air and how to instruct how to successfully land that aircraft," Vogel said.

She suffered minor injuries. Her husband was pronounced dead on the ground.

"We're very proud of her for doing what she did. It was a very difficult situation with her husband unconscious next to her. It took a lot to collect her thoughts and get that thing landed," Vogel said.

The sheriff's department has not released the names of the couple and the pilot that helped land the plane.